Is Public Surplus legit? An honest review for resellers
Short answer: yes. PublicSurplus.com is a real government surplus auction site run by The Public Group, LLC, an independent, privately held company that has been online since 1999. It is not part of GovDeals. For resellers, the appeal is fewer bidders and lower buyer's premiums, under the same as-is rules.
What is Public Surplus?
Public Surplus is an online auction site where state and local government agencies sell surplus property: school districts, counties, cities, universities, transit authorities and utilities. You'll find vehicles, light and heavy equipment, IT, office and school furniture, and plenty of miscellaneous lots. Only approved public institutions can list, so the seller is always a public agency.
How does Public Surplus work?
- Register. Buyer accounts are free. Anyone can browse; bidding needs an account.
- Search. Look by category, agency or region. Each lot shows photos, terms, the closing time and the seller.
- Bid. Auctions are timed, and you can set a maximum for the system to bid up to.
- Pay. You pay your bid plus any buyer's premium and tax.
- Collect it. Pick it up or arrange shipping before the removal deadline. Many lots are pickup-only.
Who owns Public Surplus?
Public Surplus is run by The Public Group, LLC, an independent, privately held company based in Utah, and it has run surplus auctions since 1999. It has no connection to GovDeals, which is owned by Liquidity Services. The two are competitors, not two brands of the same company.
Does Public Surplus charge a buyer's premium?
Usually a small one, and sometimes none. The seller sets it, and it commonly falls between 0% and 10%. It's shown on the listing before you confirm a bid. Most GovDeals lots carry a 12.5% premium, so the lower fee is a real advantage, though Public Surplus has a much smaller selection.
Is Public Surplus safe to buy from?
Yes. Every seller is an approved public agency, you get the item you won, and payment goes through the platform. As on any surplus site, lots sell as-is with no returns, so the way to lose money is to overpay or misjudge condition. Look closely at the photos, read the terms and work out your landed cost before you bid.
Public Surplus review: pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Independent and established (online since 1999) | Far fewer listings than GovDeals |
| Low or no buyer's premium on many lots | Dated interface and search |
| Fewer bidders on some lots | As-is, where-is, with no returns |
| Every seller is an approved public agency | Many lots are pickup-only |
Public Surplus is a legitimate and often overlooked place to buy. Lower fees and less competition can mean better margins if you're willing to dig through a smaller catalog.
Where resellers actually lose money
- Overpaying relative to real resale value, the basic risk on every platform.
- Getting it home. A pickup-only lot across the state adds real cost.
- Condition. As-is means as-is. Treat anything not pictured as missing.
- Sales tax, depending on where the lot is and your resale status.
Comparing surplus sites? GavelGap does the landed-cost and resale math for every live lot on GovDeals, the largest of them, so you know whether a lot can flip before you bid.
Try GavelGap free →Frequently asked questions
Is Public Surplus a legitimate website?
Yes. PublicSurplus.com is run by The Public Group, LLC, an independent, privately held company, and has operated since 1999. Public agencies use it to sell surplus to the public.
What is Public Surplus?
An online auction site where state and local government agencies sell surplus vehicles, equipment, IT, furniture and miscellaneous items. Only approved public institutions can list.
Who owns Public Surplus?
The Public Group, LLC, an independent, privately held company based in Utah. It is not connected to GovDeals, which is owned by Liquidity Services.
Does Public Surplus charge a buyer's premium?
Usually a small one, commonly 0% to 10%, set by the seller and shown on the listing. That's generally lower than GovDeals, where most lots carry 12.5%.
Is it safe to buy from Public Surplus?
Yes. Every seller is an approved public agency and payment goes through the platform. The financial risk is the same as on any surplus site: lots sell as-is with no returns, so inspect them and work out your landed cost before you bid.